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I’m starting to specifically identify my days as either hard, easy or recovery, setting my intention for the day while I have coffee in the morning. Lifelong Endurance gave me the suggestion. This is something I’ve said I was gonna do in the past, but I never fully got into it. I’d like to really get the hang of it before marathon training begins again.

A hard day is a workout day, and it’s hard. Hahaha. Hills, track, tempo run, intervals or a race. High heart rate, non-conversational-pace stuff. This would also be a day to add other hard things, like weight training or an intense spin class that can leave muscles sore later or the next day. Coach says stack the hard days if I want to, but do the run first. If ass-kicking stuff gets spread all throughout the week, when is recovery? I get it now.

An easy day is aerobic running, i.e. no significant recovery window required, and won’t interfere with whatever is coming up. Sometimes I might also include swimming, yoga, or easy cycling, but I’ll be avoiding spin class on easy days going forward.

A recovery day is what it sounds like! RECOVERY! Generally no running, or if there is running it’s at a very easy-feel pace with low heart rate. Since I usually have two days/week designated for recovery, I like to make sure at least one of them has no running at all.

Let’s test it out.

Monday, March 12th – easy day

Swim – 2000m

Relaxed because my swims always are. I’m still learning. This really helped ease me into the day, so fking sore from Sunday’s workout!

Later, I joined in at Learn to Run, it was nice to run on the track, it’s finally snow-free.

Finally, strength workout! Because it’s hard day and hard work happens today! One round of Dirty Dozen, then a full-body stretch and foam roll.

Wednesday, March 14th – recovery day

Coffee with husband, back in bed for a NAP!

Swim. I forgot it was Spring Break…the pool was a zoo.

Second nap. Yesssss. I’m gonna be so good at not having a job!

Thursday, March 15th – hard day

Tempo kms

Seven kilometers as 3k easy, 4k tempo. A little faster than the prescribed 4:52/km…I’d like to be better about keeping to the pace from Coach. It’s a mental thing for me, because when I see a 4, I still have a tendency to think it’s SUPER SUPER FAST RUNNING. Working on it!

Friday, March 16th – easy day

pre-race run before work! 20:00 relaxed running plus some strides

I hope they banish daylight savings!

Then I headed to the pool.

Saturday, March 17th – hard day

St. Patty’s Day 5k race! HUGE thank you and congratulations to Skeena Valley Runners Club for hosting this race, the first since their club revival!

Okay. This day. ahahahah! First. Look at Jessica’s costume. She is getting piggy-backed by Seamus our Leprechaun friend. Now check out my beard. And how sweet is this crew of Rupert Runners!? This is only half the Rupertites who showed up!

from the Terrace paper!

This was my first time truly racing a 5k. I knew I wanted to do my very best and practice mental toughness, but I also really wanted to wear my beard and wasn’t sure if it would interfere. In a previous post I stated that, at the time, I had a goal of 4:40/km overall pace or better for this race, using my last fit test from Andrew as a loose reference. But then on Friday he told me sub-23:00 was the goal. This is 4:35/km or faster. Okay, boss.

So, at the starting line, I officially had three goals, one of which was already accomplished

get jumping leprechaun photo with heels clicking in the air (LOLLLLL)

don’t crap my pants

do my very best and finish under 23:00!

Before even 2km I was so hot and uncomfortable so I took the face wig off and ditched it with the next race marshal I saw. I was also noticing how fking hard it is to run fast, and then…the expected voice spoke to me. LOL.

“no big deal if you just slow down, this is a fun, dress-up race and this pace and beard are both very uncomfortable..”

NOPE! NOT TODAY MADAFAKA. I have been meditating since I got back from Phoenix, where my friend and Lifelong Endurance teammate, Kate, told me about how hard she had to work on her mental game to achieve her marathon goal, which she smashed. I was so inspired. Jack & Jill training officially starts April 9th, but PRE-Jack & Jill preparation began on February 26th! I cannot even begin to describe how much the meditation helped me stay on track during today’s race. I shut that voice the fuck down and focused and I’m SO PROUD OF MYSELF.

Kilometer 5! So close to the finish line, and death

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I did it! I am most stoked about my mental game staying strong! 00:22:55 baby, and I didn’t shit my shorts.

Okay, and look at the medals! They’re wood! And awesome! AND I GOT TWO! One for finishing, and another because I actually got second place for women! And 10th overall! Yasssss.

Aside from a couple of pit stops plus some muscle soreness from yesterday, this run was awesome. Took the whole thing nice and easy and then ran the final kilometer at five minute pace, which is goal marathon pace for Mission Impossible.

I tested out a Cafe Mocha Huma Gel, which I LOVED! I want to incorporate some caffeinated gels into my next marathon cycle and this one is so far so good.

So, pretty sure designating each day’s purpose is gonna be good for me, especially when Lifelong Endurance starts royally kicking my ass again! What’s next? The Prince Rupert Half Marathon! WOOO! My favourite race! There is also a two-person half marathon relay, and an 8k race, too. If you live in or around Prince Rupert, here is the link to register!

Yahoo! Can’t believe it’s already halfway through February! Life goes by fast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m okay with Winter…but it’s not my favourite season and I’m sure many runners would agree. I love cold weather running, but snow, ice and darkness can be very inconvenient!

I’m starting the Spring transition early this year. First, heading down south to Arizona to run my seventh full marathon. Then, March (which I consider Spring) has presented the opportunity for a local 5k! We say local here when it’s within say, a four hour drive, LOL. In April I have two races lined up, both which I have run before and love, so that’s exciting and fun for goal setting!

Here’s what I wanna aim for at this point in time, always keeping in mind that Coach might have other plans that come into play closer to the dates 🙂 Thank you to Lifelong Endurance for the readiness I’m feeling this early in the year!

I’ve mentioned it a lot in training recaps, I don’t have a specific goal for this race. My goal marathon is in July, so I really like the way this has me feeling relaxed about Phoenix.

The course is fast, but from the dozens of reviews I’ve read, it’s (obviously) not just a nice jaunt down a mountain! For one, 42.2k is 42.2k! Apparently, the profile can be quite deceiving too, since the majority of the elevation drop is in the first half and then the second half of the race basically flattens out. There’s also the temptation to fly out of the gate on that initial downhill and be left with regrets later, so it will be a test of patience! The temperature could be a factor later in the race as well, especially for this Canadian. We’ll see what happens!

I’ve thought about covering my watch, but I doubt that will happen. The goal is to run happy, and push it in the second half if things are feeling good. Other goals are to stay relaxed, have fun and enjoy the cacti! IF the stars seem to be perfectly alignging, I will shoot for a 5:20/km overall pace. No matter what happens it’s going to be awesome to check out a new marathon event, and meet up with the PRO Compression crew!

Saturday, March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day 5k!

This run is in Terrace and hosted by the recently resurrected Skeena Valley Runners! OMG. The 5k. Also known as, in my brain at least, the scariest race distance. Pain train.

I’ve never raced a 5k! There was the Disneyworld 5k in 2017, but that wasn’t even timed. I just cruised along, saving myself for the rest of the Dopey Challenge. Last May I ran the 5k in the local race that I co-direct, but I don’t count that.

For this St. Patty’s race I’d like to run an overall pace under 4:40/km. Back in October I ran a twenty minute fit-test for Coach Andrew (in the dark, on the boring-ass track) – 20 minutes, 4.28 km, 4:40/km. This seems like a fair goal to aim for for the 5km.

Woohoo, favourite home race! Last year I had a great day, running my current half marathon personal best, and finishing third overall female. Yeah, it’s a small race, but I am very proud of that day. It’s an interesting course, and on a section of road that us locals run almost every single weekend, which can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it!

The goal for this year is to improve my time on this half course, which would also lead to a new half PR! Currently sitting at 01:50:48. On the hunt for a sub-1:50! I’d like to be in the top 3 again, too!

*if you live around here and haven’t run in this event before, check out THIS post**

I. Love. Seattle! And this race! And we are going down with a #badassladygang of five of us! The race goes around Lake Union and the start/finish is in Gasworks park! AND it’s hosted by Oiselle! Last year I had a great day running the 10 mile distance, but I went out too fast and it haunted me a little in the last 5k. I’d say it was overall a pretty solid run, BUT, I know I can do better this year!

Tenacious Ten 2017! Whitney & Justin are both running again this year!

The goal as of right now: 1:18:xx. Last year my “official” time was 1:21:36, but that was faster than what my Garmin said…and everyone else said their chip times were fast, too. My watch actually read 1:22:40. Regardless, I think with a more conservative start and the fitness I’ve gained over the last year, sub 1:20 will be mine, but I want to push for an average pace in the low 4:5x/km.

Running is not about being better than someone else, it’s about being better than you used to be.

So, that’s what’s coming up in the next eight-ish weeks! Are you planning to run in any of these events? If so, let me know!